Warwick students: more eaters than drinkers

**The average British student spends more on alcohol than on food, according to a recent survey.**

The research revealed that the average expenditure per week on alcohol is £20 or more, whereas just £10 is spent on food.

However, hungry students at Warwick said that their shopping habits reveal the opposite.
Alex Yung, a second-year Maths student, said: “I spend so much more on food – about £50 a week – but I try and eat healthily and cook at home to save money.

“I spend about £20 a week on alcohol but that doesn’t include drinks in clubs.”

Philosophy student, Thomas Carswell, spends above the average amount on both food and booze. He said: “It costs me about £25-30 a week to eat, which is the same as one night out.”

Gabrielle Cohen, a second-year English Literature student, said she did not go out much but agreed that she could not eat well on just £10 a week. “Food is important. If I am going to eat it, it has to be something good,” she said.

“I think £10 a week is unrealistic. I could do that but the food would be bad.”

Some students revealed that their weekly expenditures changed over the course of their university life. Law student Elle Sheerin, said: “In Freshers, I would have spent about £30-40 a week because I was buying vodka. Now I buy a £3.50 bottle of Lambrini.”

Second-years Olivia Painter-Wain and Ishy Kuku agreed. “I spent more on alcohol last year but now I only spend about £20 every two weeks on rum”, said Ishy.

“I have cut down because we don’t go out as often as we did in Freshers” added Olivia.

History and Politics finalist, Tom Davies, revealed he has not spent any money on alcohol this year.

By contrast, second-year Comparative American Studies student, Matthew Woods, still spends a lot on nights out.

He said: “I go out five nights a week usually, and spend around £80 a week on alcohol.”

The survey also examined how well people at university really eat, and obtained a list of meals students resorted to cooking when strapped for cash or low on ingredients.

The research, undertaken by Slow Food UK, found that the most desperate of students resorted to pasta with vinegar, cake for dinner, beans on hula hoops, and supernoodle omelettes.

“The most desperate meal I have ever had was probably in the morning when I added oats to my protein shake for breakfast as I didn’t have time to make actual food” said Matthew.

Daniel Piper, a third-year English Literature and Creative writing student has also resorted to eating unusual food.

He said: “I once resorted to eating a raw onion like an apple – it was all I had – but I felt really ill afterwards. I also once made tuna curry.”

Many students said that during exams and approaching deadlines food was seen as fuel rather than something to take time over and enjoy.

Whilst 74 percent of students surveyed said they eat one portion of fresh fruit or vegetables most days, almost all are falling short of their five-a-day.

The survey also revealed that 68 percent of students ate takeaway only once a week, or less.